THYR

OID D

ISEASE

NODULES A

ND NEOPL

ASMS

By: C

hrist

ine

B. Tay

lor,

MD

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

After reviewing this module, the student will have the ability to:

- Approach History & physical exam of patients with thyroid pathology

- Understand which patients require surgery and appropriate surgical timing

- Describe the process of evaluating and working up various thyroid pathologies

CASE PRESENTATION

29 year old Female referred to Head & Neck clinic for evaluation of a thyroid nodule. Patient reports this nodule was found incidentally while she was getting ready for work one morning.

She went to her PCP, who ordered a thyroid ultrasound, which demonstrated a 2cm nodule in the right lobe of the thyroid.

QUESTION

After thorough history and physical, what would you order first for this patient?

A. Thyroid function tests (TSH, T4) B. CT neck C. MRI neck D. Radioactive Iodine uptake scan E. All of the above

QUESTION

After thorough history and physical, what would you order first for this patient?

A. Thyroid function tests (TSH, T4) B. CT neck C. MRI neck D. Radioactive Iodine uptake scan E. All of the above

EXPLANATION

What would you order first for this patient? A. Thyroid function tests (TSH, T4)

It is important to first establish the patient’s thyroid function. This will help determine if the known thyroid nodule is hyperfunctioning, hypofunctioning, or nonfunctioning.

At this point, you should also obtain Fine Needle Aspiration (FNA) with ultrasound guidance, if necessary, to obtain cells for cytopathology. This will help determine if nodule is benign or malignant

IMPORTANT POINTS - PATIENT HISTORY

Family history of thyroid disease or thyroid cancer?

Familial syndromes (MEN)

Personal history of radiation to head/neck Increased risk of thyroid cancer

Hoarseness, SOB, difficulty swallowing Compressive symptoms of thyroid goiter

CASE PRESENTATION

Patient reports her voice seems to have become slightly more “husky” lately. She recalls only occasional discomfort with sensation that something is “pushing” in. Denies shortness of breath.

Denies family history of thyroid cancer

Denies personal history of radiation therapy or thyroid or any other type of cancer

PHYSICAL EXAM

What components of the physical exam are critical for this patient?

Full Head and neck exam to look for any “lumps or bumps”

Palpate for lymphadenopathy

Palpate thyroid for nodularity, firmness or hard masses

Fiberoptic or direct laryngoscopy to evaluate vocal cord function

CASE PRESENTATION

On physical exam, you palpate a grossly enlarged thyroid gland with a 1.5cm dominant nodule on the right thyroid lobe

You discover the following findings on fiberoptic exam:

Upon inspiration:Symmetric bilateral Vocal fold abduction Vocal folds

(true cords)

False vocal folds

Base of tongue/lingual tonsil

trachea

Epiglottis

Opening of esophagus

View on laryngoscopy

anterior

QUESTION

Patient is sent for labs as well as FNA. Patient returns to clinic the following week with FNA report reading “follicular cells, cannot rule out follicular neoplasm”. Is surgery indicated for your patient at this time?

Yes No

QUESTION

Patient is sent for labs as well as FNA. Patient returns to clinic the following week with FNA report reading “follicular cells, cannot rule out follicular neoplasm”. Is surgery indicated for your patient at this time?

Yes No

EXPLANATION

Surgery is indicated. Follicular cells on FNA can be a benign finding or may indicate follicular carcinoma.

Follicular carcinoma cannot be diagnosed solely on FNA (normal thyroid contains follicular cells.) Perform at least hemithyroidectomy for tissue diagnosis

Tissue taken at time of surgery must be sent for pathology to evaluate for extracapsular extension, lymphovascular invasion, or metastasis.

Therefore, in the case that follicular neoplasm is suspected based on H&P and FNA results, patient should be taken to surgery for pathologic diagnosis and treatment.

INDICATIONS FOR THYROIDECTOMY

- Hyperthyroidism (Grave’s) not responsive to medical therapy with ophthalmic symptoms

- Malignancy (confirmed or high suspicion based on history and/or FNA)

- Goiter with compressive symptoms

- Large thyroid nodule (>2cm) that is unable to be adequately sampled by FNA (sampling error due to large area of nodule and risk of combination of benign and malignant cells)

BenignBenign thyroid cysts (degenerated nodules)

Colloid nodulesMultinodular goiter

MalignantPapillary carcinomaFollicular carcinoma

Hurthle cell tumor Medullary Thyroid Carcinoma

Anaplastic Carcinoma

Lymphoma of thyroid

ETIOLOGIES OF THYROID NODULES

TESTS

- CBC, Chemistry Chemistry for calcium, to include albumin to calculate corrected calcium

Corrected Ca = 0.8 x (4 - patient albumin) + pt Ca

- Thyroid function (TSH, free T4)- Parathyroid hormone (PTH)- Coagulation studies (INR, PTT)- FNA of nodule (+/- Ultrasound guidance)- CT Neck for surgical planning, if

appropriate

IMAGING

- Ultrasound

- CT Neck for surgical planning

CT scan demonstrating large Right thyroid mass causing tracheal deviation to left

THYROID ULTRASOUND

Normal thyroid and surrounding neck anatomy

TREATMENT

Medical Management Involve endocrinology early to assist in management Thyroid hormone replacement (Levothyroxine) for

hypothyroidism Thyroid suppression for hyperthyroidism I-131 for medical thyroid ablation Observation for benign nodules

Surgery Failure of medical management Malignancy or concern for malignant potential Symptom management

TREATMENT

- Post-surgical therapy I-131 : Radioactive iodine ablation may be indicated postoperatively for any residual malignancy

Thyroid hormone replacement after total thyroidectomy

Calcium replacementSurgery to thyroid/parathyroid bed

- Ensure patient has endocrinology follow upTitrate levothyroxine and help manage long term iatrogenic hypothyroidism

ALGORITHM/OVERVIEW

Tissue pathology

Thyroid nodule/massThyroid nodule/mass

Follow clinically

Repeat FNA

COMPLICATIONS OF THYROIDECTOMY

- Intraoperative - Bleeding

- Damage to arteries/veins of neck

- Postoperative presentation- Injury to recurrent laryngeal nerve

- Unilateral: hoarseness- Bilateral: respiratory distress

- Bleeding- Expanding hematoma – causes compression, shortness of breath

- Hypocalcemia- Removal or injury to parathyroid glands or their blood supply

- Scar

If patient develops expanding neck hematoma postoperatively, treatment involves immediate opening of sutures to evacuate clot and return to OR to explore and stop bleed

TAKE HOME POINTS

- Always obtain thyroid function tests as part of intial workup in patient with thyroid pathology

- Perform full Head & Neck exam

- Thyroid nodules should undergo FNA for cytopathology results

RESOURCESFlint. Cummings Otolaryngology: Head & Neck Surgery, 5th

ed. 2010 Mosby/Elsevier.

Kwak, et al. Findings of Extrathyroid Lesions Encountered With Thyroid Sonography. J Ultrasound Med 2007; 26:1747–1759

Netter Atlas of Anatomy – Accessed via The Netter presenter : human anatomy collection. edited by John T. Hansen. Elsevier 2010.

Pasha, Raza. Otolaryngology Head & Neck Surgery: Clinical Reference Guide. 3rd edition

Shahi et al. Journal of Medical Case Reports 2010 4:15 doi:10.1186/1752-1947-4-15

Photo credit: UT Voice Center Website http://uthscsa.edu/oto/voicecenterhome.asp

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTSThank you to Christian Stallworth, MD for overseeing this

project and providing advisory support.

Photo credits- Thank you to Megan M. Gaffey, MD and Lauren Thomas for providing photos of the physical exam

Editing and input: